Depression following spinal cord injury

Although depression has been widely studied among persons with spinal cord injury, the ubiquitous and unsophisticated use of the term and presumtions about its manifestations in the rehabilitation setting have needlessly encumbered the understanding and treatment of depression. Major themes and issues in the study, measurement, and treatment of depression among persons with spinal cord injury are reviewed. Greater precision is recommended in distinguishing diagnosable depression from displays of negative affect, anxiety, distress, and dysphoria. Correlates of depressive behavior among persons with SCI are surveyed, and guidelines for research and practice in the SCI setting are explicated. (C) 1996 by the American Congress of Rehabilitation Medicine and the American Academy of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation.